Sector Four industry skills development continues to grow whilst government skills development languishes. According to the Business Council of Australia, VET sector development and funding suffers from ‘cultural bias’ against it in all quarters. Even Deakin University has been awarded an export grant to develop training for the Indonesian logistics system, hardly the remit of researchers and academics!
Campus Morning Mail reported Business Council of Australia Jennifer Westacott’s recent speech which warned of a “cultural bias” against VET.
“A cultural bias that is created by teachers, our educational institutions, government, businesses, media and parents. A cultural bias that ‘smart’ people go to university, and the not so smart kids go to VET. … A cultural bias that continues into work where jobs that come from VET qualifications are seen as innately inferior and less valuable than jobs from university qualifications.”
Meanwhile, Sector Four industry skills development is on the rise as business and the public circumnavigates around these troubled waters.
More information here:
Business Council of Australia:
Future-Proof: Protecting Australians Through Education and Skills
Campus Morning Mail:
Business Council chief slams universities but calls for a unity ticket on education reform
Trainers ticked off: Feds fund Deakin U to develop VET programme